Commedia dell'Arte workshops for performers, schools, colleges and performance groups. Teaching the movement, characteristics and repertoires of the stock characters using high quality professional Commedia masks. Mask using workshops can be tailored to meet your needs. I can also offer mask making workshops. Regular open workshops are run in Stroud, Glos. Join my mailing list on my website

Classroom mask-making activities presented by Abby O'Leary as part of a teachers' workshop in conjunction with
The Mask of Venice: Masking, Theater and Identity in the Art of Tiepolo and His Time
Making Rigid-Wrap Masks
Making Paper-Laminate Masks
Making Paper Masks
Resources for Teachers

After the papier-mache', students use Reeder's cloth mache' technique to add strength and character to their creations, and they are also using Sculpey clay (as well as other objects) to create parts such as eyes and teeth.
As part of a unit on sculpture during the second trimester of the 2000-2001 school year, approximately fifty high school students embarked on a strange and wonderful journey into the realm of monster-making.

"This was an interdisciplinary art, drama and music project. We created masks for an African play "Aio the Rainmaker"."
The Web site is a collaboration between two teachers--one of whom lives in San Francisco in California, the other in Amsterdam in The Netherlands

Dell'Arte International is based in Blue Lake, California. Offering a one-year certificate course, plus a 3-year MFA program in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre. Mask work is taught as part of the curriculum. The school works with natural masks, larval, character, and half-masks. In Summer 2013 a one-month intensive, "All the World's A Mask" was offered. Director: Ronlin Foreman

I started making masks for a living back in the 90's and sold to galleries from Amercian Craft Council shows, to customers at craft shows, and at the Minnesota Renn. Festival. I have written many articles, booklets, and videos about leather sculpting, and will continue to add and offer them for sale as downloads from this site. Thanks to our modern tanners who make wonderful molding leather, and new technologies in molding and casting for pattern forms it is a lot easier to make molded leather objects than it was in the past. I have made some videos and booklets describing the techniques I've learned in the past 30 years and would like to pass them on to you.
Cheryl Smeja

Antonio Broccoli Porto is multiartist living in Puerto Rico. Check for yourself.
The link is to a mask workshop at Bradford Grammar School in Montclair, NJ USA which took place in Nov., 2005
Antonio Broccoli Porto also created masks and costumes for a Caribbean production of "Midsummer Night's Dream"

We organize courses to learn the technique of the paper-mach? at our laboratory or at your home. The basic course has a minimum duration of 8 days, that is to say 32 hours. The course can be structured in accordance to your requirements. The course is composed of two parts, theory and practice, by the audio-visual way and didactic materials you'll learn the techniques of the papier-mach? for realizing manufactures with a ecologic material.
ARTE-CARTA gathers firms that operate in the planning and realization sector of manufactured articles made of papier-mach?, plastic reinforced by incorpored fiberglass, polyurethane, polystyrene. Our lengthy experience guaranties a high quality in restrained costs. Our manufactures answers to the fireproof and safety normativenessParticularly these courses are directed toward artistic schools, organizations, associations. It's not necessary a minimum number of participants at our laboratories but it's necessary out of the center (it's necessary 6 participants as mininum).

Classes for Adults
SPRING CLASSES 2007
Six Week Session April 23 to May 29
SUMMER CLASSES 2007
Eight Week Session June 18 to Aug 17
(Off the week of July 4th)
Classes for Adults
MONDAY NIGHTS
Adult Painting Night~7:00 to 9:30pm
Tuiton $20/class plus materials
Bring your own supplies and projects or we can help you put either
together. Painting with advise and particular focus on color theory
and visual perception. Beginners Started, Old Pros Encouraged!
Master Mask Making~7:00 to 10:00pm
Tuition $25/class plus materials
More experienced mask makers get involved with more expensive
materials, develop their own tool kit and pursue projects of their own
with guidance from our resident master Jeff Semmerling.
TUESDAY NIGHTS
Beginner Mask Making~7:00 to 9:00pm
Tuition $20/class
Students learn fundamental mask construction,
making masks in cardboard, Venetian Style papier
mache', found objects and plaster gauze.
~ Weekend Intensives ~
SHAPING LEATHER MASKS
June 16 - 17, 1:00PM to 4:30 p.m
Learn the Semmerling and Schaefer methods for shaping
leather masks. For twenty years Jeff and Sonja have
perfected the craft. You will make and finish two to three
leather masks and leave with a list of sources for materials
and tools. Tuition is $200.
CASTING RUBBER MASKS.
July 21 -22 1:00PM to 4:30P - Tuition is $175.
Learn the ins and outs of casting sculptures for rubber slip
molding. Students will sculpt a small mask and cast a slip
mold of it while observing the creation of full size molds
and techniques of casting rubber masks and puppets.
Inside Out Art Studio
2005 W. Montrose,
Chicago 60618 ~ 773-697-5012
Jeff@maskartists.com ~ www.insideoutarts.us

Community Issues | Drama Therapy
Interactive Improv Theatre Network
Playback | Psychodrama | Sociodrama
Theatre of the Oppressed (Boal Techniques)
Training and Development
Other Related Links | Site Index
The Applied and Interactive Theatre Forum
.... a resource for those who use theatre techniques
for other or more than arts or entertainment
purposes, and for those whose theatre styles
incorporate other than traditional presentation styles.

We offer courses in Mask Making!!!!
Discover the creative energy and inspiring setting that is as much a part of the Haliburton School of The Arts as the courses within the schedule. Whether you seek motivation or retreat, simplicity or challenge, you will be encouraged to find your creative voice within a community that fosters a sense of belonging. With an eclectic and extensive variety of courses offered at a range of skill levels, there?s something for everyone! In addition to the courses there are many extra-curricular opportunities to share time with fellow students and faculty members. Wine and cheese gallery receptions, free presentations, instructor slide shows, self-guided walk-about exhibitions and social evenings with dinner and entertainment will complete your Haliburton experience.
The schedule of courses clearly illustrates our enduring commitment to art and craft education and the enrichment of the arts community. Weeklong adult courses are accepted as credits toward the Visual & Creative Arts Diploma from Fleming College, which is offered on a part-time basis.
Just 2 ? hours north of Toronto and 3 ? hours west of Ottawa!

Advice and instruction.
"...For very young children head dresses work best since they don't cover the children's eyes. To keep headresses from slipping down, staple a third strip of paper over the crown of the kid's head (from forehead to back of head). Decorate with feathers,crayon, tissue paper, etc."

Art Department, Barton College - This studio project is geared to the High School Visual Arts I level. The NCAEA SDW presentation includes slides of professional maskmakers at work, images of related student projects, field samples of large horned paper masks, and a lesson plan. A selection of the research slides shown during the NCAEA presentation can be found on the Barton College website. Teachers may download these images for classroom use

On leather hard clay, teacher models techniques of carving using specific tools. (cutting tools, blunt or plastic knives, nails, screws and any found materials to make impressions)
Task: Children carve details on their masks using taught techniques. Leave masks to biscuit dry (and fire if kiln is available).

This workshop offers a practical and theoretical insight to masks and their potential. The course starts with an introduction to the history of masks and mask traditions in Europe, different mask styles and mask performances. The workshop itself will go into depths with the artistic design and the construction of a professional paper- masch? theatre mask.
Petra F?hrenbach from Berlin and Finbarr Ryan from Ireland wil lead this workshop. Both studied with Donato Sartori at the "Centro Maschere e Strutture gestuali" in Italy. Petra F?hrenbach has a Master of Art in Cultural Studies from the Humboldt University in Berlin, Finbarr Ryan studied mask performance at the Commedia School for physical theatre in Copenhagen. For more information about us, check out our homepage: www.teatermasker.dk
The workshop will take place at the Odsherred Teaterskole located in a beautiful nature surrounding in Danmark from the 28. Sept. 2007 11am to the 30.Sept. 4pm.
This 3 day workshop will cost 2000kr. ( 270 EUR) including materials, food and accomodation. The lessons will be in English.
For more information and application: www.otskole.dk or ring to 0045 59931009